Organic Agriculture and Food Security in Africa pot

This study was prepared by Rachel Hine and Jules Pretty, University of Essex and Sophia Twarog 81&7$' 7KHDXWKRUVFDQEHFRQWDFWHGDWWKH&HQWUHIRUQYLURQPHQWDQG6RFLHW\8QLYHUVLW\RIVVH[&ROFKHVWHU

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

United Nations Environment Programme

Organic Agriculture and

Food Security in

Africa

United NationsNew York and Geneva, 2008

UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity-building Task Force

on Trade, Environment and Development

Material in this publication may be freely quoted or reprinted, but acknowledgement is requested, WRJHWKHU ZLWK D UHIHUHQFH WR WKH GRFXPHQW QXPEHU$ FRS\ RI WKH SXEOLFDWLRQ FRQWDLQLQJ WKHquotation or reprint should be sent to the UNCTAD secretariat (c/o Administrative Secretary, Division on International Trade in Goods and Services, and Commodities, Palais des Nations,

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,QIRUPDWLRQRQ&%7)DFWLYLWLHVLVDYDLODEOHRQWKH&%7)ZHEVLWHKWSZZZXQHSXQFWDGRUJFEWI

)RRGVHFXULW\LVDQLVVXHRIJUHDWDQGJURZLQJFRQFHUQLQPDQ\FRXQWULHVSDUWLFXODUO\LQ$IULFDDespite global pledges, the recent report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right

to Food highlighted that the number of people suffering from hunger has increased every year VLQFH

Feeding over 6 billion people – and over 9 billion by 2050 – will require a wide range of creative, sustainable agricultural systems which not only provide food, but also factor in the economic value RIQDWXUHEDVHGVHUYLFHVVXFKDVIRUHVWVZHWODQGVDQGVRLORUJDQLVPVWKDWXQGHUSLQDJULFXOWXUH6LPSO\DSSO\LQJWKH³LQGXVWULDO´DJULFXOWXUDOPRGHOVRIWKHWZHQWLHWKFHQWXU\LQWRWKHWZHQW\¿UVWDVDVLQJOHJOREDOVROXWLRQZLOOQRWVHUYHXVZHOO

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the United Nations (QYLURQPHQW3URJUDPPH81(3 WKURXJKWKHLUMRLQW&DSDFLW\%XLOGLQJ7DVN)RUFHRQ7UDGHEnvironment and Development (CBTF), take food security very seriously and have joined forces WRFRQWULEXWHWRWKHVHDUFKIRUVXVWDLQDEOHVROXWLRQV

This study examines the relationship between organic agriculture and food security in Africa, particularly East Africa, which is where the CBTF has been implementing a project on organic DJULFXOWXUHVLQFH2UJDQLFDJULFXOWXUHLVDKROLVWLFSURGXFWLRQV\VWHPEDVHGRQDFWLYHDJURHFRV\VWHPPDQDJHPHQWUDWKHUWKDQRQH[WHUQDOLQSXWVDQGLWXWLOL]HVERWKWUDGLWLRQDODQGVFLHQWL¿FNQRZOHGJH

The evidence presented in this study supports the argument that organic agriculture can be more conducive to food security in Africa than most conventional production systems, and that it is PRUHOLNHO\WREHVXVWDLQDEOHLQWKHORQJWHUP

7KLVLVLQOLQHZLWKWKH¿QGLQJVRIWKH)RRGDQG$JULFXOWXUDO2UJDQL]DWLRQRIWKH8QLWHG1DWLRQV)$2 ,QWHUQDWLRQDO&RQIHUHQFHRQ2UJDQLF$JULFXOWXUHDQG)RRG6HFXULW\KHOGLQ0D\

Therefore, we encourage policymakers and development cooperation partners in Africa and DURXQGWKHZRUOGWRWDNHDQHZORRNDWWKLVSURPLVLQJSURGXFWLRQV\VWHPZLWKIUHVKH\HV,WRIIHUVnot only improved food security, but also an array of other economic, environmental, health and VRFLDOEHQH¿WV

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This study was prepared by Rachel Hine and Jules Pretty, University of Essex and Sophia Twarog 81&7$' 7KHDXWKRUVFDQEHFRQWDFWHGDWWKH&HQWUHIRU(QYLURQPHQWDQG6RFLHW\8QLYHUVLW\RI(VVH[&ROFKHVWHU(VVH[&2648QLWHG.LQJGRPHPDLOUHKLQH#HVVH[DFXNRUDWWKHTrade and Sustainable Development Section, Division on International Trade, UNCTAD, Palais GHV1DWLRQV*HQHYD6ZLW]HUODQGHPDLOVRSKLDWZDURJ#XQFWDGRUJ

Sophia Twarog (UNCTAD) and Asad Naqvi (UNEP/CBTF) oversaw the publication process under WKH RYHUDOO VXSHUYLVLRQ RI 8OULFK +RIIPDQQ 81&7$'  DQG +XVVHLQ$ED]D 81(3  3UDYHHQBhalla (consultant to UNCTAD), Paul Stephenson (UNCTAD), Michael Gibson (UNCTAD) and

$QQD*ULJJVIRUPHUO\ZLWK81&7$' SURYLGHGDVVLVWDQFHRQODQJXDJHHGLWLQJLVVXHV.DULPOuahidi (UNEP), Desirée Leon (UNEP) and Rahila Mughal (UNEP) provided administrative VXSSRUW6RSKLD&RPEHWWH81&7$' GHVLJQHGWKHFRYHU5DIH'HQW81&7$' IRUPDWWHGWKHPDQXVFULSW

The authors are grateful to the following for contributing valuable information and insights to the study:

Peter Murage, Mount Kenya Organic Farm (MOOF), Kenya;

J Ngugi Mutura, Sustainable Agriculture Community Development Programme (SACDEP), Kenya;

Charles Wasonga, Environmental Action Team (EAT), Kenya;

Donati Alex Senzia, Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM), United Republic of Tanzania;

-RKQ:1MRURJH.HQ\D,QVWLWXWHRI2UJDQLF)DUPLQJ ,2) ,QRWKHUFRXQWULHVWKHVHFWRU¶VJURZWKVWHPVIURPVLJQL¿FDQWDWWHPSWVWRHQJDJHVPDOOKROGHUVLQH[SRUWFRPPRGLW\SURGXFWLRQHJ8JDQGDDQG7DQ]DQLD 29

,Q(DVW$IULFDLWLVHVWLPDWHGWKDWLQ8JDQGDKDGDQHVWLPDWHGKDXQGHUFHUWL¿HGorganic production, Kenya 181,500 ha and the United Republic of Tanzania30KD31 These

¿JXUHVPD\LQFOXGHODQGFHUWL¿HGIRURUJDQLFZLOGFROOHFWLRQ5DSLGO\JURZLQJH[SRUWVDUHPRVWO\carried out by exporting companies that subcontract (mainly smallholder) outgrowers, although VRPHFRRSHUDWLYHVDQGSODQWDWLRQVH[SRUWGLUHFWO\,Q8JDQGDIRUH[DPSOHRYHUWKHSDVWWKUHH

\HDUVRUJDQLFH[SRUWVKDYHEHHQJURZLQJDWDQDYHUDJHDQQXDOUDWHRISHUFHQW7KHQXPEHURIIDUPHUVFHUWL¿HGDQGOLQNHGWRH[SRUWPDUNHWVLQFUHDVHGIURPLQWRRYHULQ

RIZKLFKSHUFHQWDUHVPDOOKROGHUVZLWKOHVVWKDQWKUHHKHFWDUHVRIODQG32 Key information DERXWRUJDQLFDJULFXOWXUHLQWKHVHWKUHHFRXQWULHVFDQEHIRXQGLQ%R[

,QDGGLWLRQWRHVWLPDWHVIRUFHUWL¿HGRUJDQLFDJULFXOWXUHLQ$IULFDWKHUHDUHDOVRODUJHQXPEHUVRIIDUPHUVWKDWSUDFWLFHVXVWDLQDEOHWUDGLWLRQDORUQHDURUJDQLFDJULFXOWXUH7KHVHQHDURUJDQLFV\VWHPV GR QRW UHO\ RQ SXUFKDVHG LQSXWV RIWHQ EHFDXVH WKH\ ZHUH E\SDVVHG E\ WKH *UHHQ5HYROXWLRQRUIDUPHUVGRQRWKDYHDFFHVVWRRUFDQQRWDIIRUGDUWL¿FLDOLQSXWV,WLVHVWLPDWHGWKDWLQGHYHORSLQJFRXQWULHVWKHUHDUHSUREDEO\DQRWKHUPLOOLRQKHFWDUHVRIWKLVQRQFHUWL¿HGQHDURUJDQLFDJULFXOWXUH33 In Africa, at least 730 000 households farming about 700 000 hectares KDG DGRSWHG QHDURUJDQLF DJULFXOWXUH SUDFWLFHV LQ  LQFOXGLQJ LQWHJUDWHG DQG ORZH[WHUQDOLQSXWV\VWHPV5HFHQWHYLGHQFHVKRZVWKDWWKLVKDVLQFUHDVHGWRDWOHDVWPLOOLRQIDUPHUVRQQHDUO\PLOOLRQKHFWDUHV34

25  <XVVH¿DQG:LOOHU:LOOHUDQG<XVVH¿:LOOHU<XVVH¿0HQ]OHUDQG6RUHQVHQ*UROLQN 0RULVRQHWDO

PLQLPDOXVHRIV\QWKHWLFIHUWLOL]HUV)RUH[DPSOHSHUFHQWRIPLOOHWDSSUR[LPDWHO\KDOIWKHDPRXQWRIIRRGOHJXPHVDQGQHDUO\DOO\DPVDQGFRFR\DPVDUHSURGXFHGLQWKLVZD\,Q8JDQGDand Tanzania the average use of chemical fertilizers is less than one kg per hectare per year, which LPSOLHVWKDWPRVWODQGLVQHYHUIHUWLOL]HGZLWKV\QWKHWLFIHUWLOL]HUV35

Box 3 Key information about organic agriculture in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania

x Organic agriculture from 1980s.

x Large private companies and

civil society organizations

(CSOs) have led the way with

FHUWL¿HGRUJDQLFVIRUH[SRUW

x Also smallholder farmers

organized into groups – some

are registered organic.

x National representative

organization of stakeholders

(both large companies and

smallholder farmer groups) in

organic agriculture - Kenya

Organic Agriculture Network

(KOAN).

x Mainly fruit and vegetables for

export market on large scale

farms but also more recently

essential oils and dried herbs

x Government recently starting

to recognize role of organic

DJULFXOWXUH1RVSHFL¿FSROLF\

promoting organic agriculture.

x Sections on organic agriculture

included in draft revisions of soil

and food policies.

x &HUWL¿HGRUJDQLFIDUPLQJPDLQO\

smallholder farmers organized into private companies, supported by commercial exporters.

x Strong local organic movement.

x Export market since 1994 – the main driving factor for the development of organic DJULFXOWXUHFHUWL¿HGRUJDQLF

exporters in 2005 expected 22 in 2006.

x Much agricultural production is RUJDQLFEXWQRWFHUWL¿HG

x 1RVSHFL¿FSROLF\SURPRWLQJ

organic agriculture The organic Policy Development Committee was created in 2003 but progress has been slow due to lack of funding.

x Uganda Export Promotion Board is interested in organic agriculture.

x &HUWL¿HGRUJDQLFIDUPLQJIRUH[SRUW mainly by smallholders organized into co-operatives.

x Organic cashews, pineapple, coffee, tea, honey, herbs and spices, cotton for export.

x History of low-input traditional farming, so much agricultural production for domestic markets

is organic or near organic, but not FHUWL¿HG

x (VWLPDWHVRIKDFHUWL¿HG organic with 55,000 farmers (2007) x National representative organization

of stakeholders in organic agriculture

- Tanzania Organic Agriculture Movement (TOAM) - formed in 2005 x 1RVSHFL¿FSROLF\SURPRWLQJRUJDQLF agriculture although existing National Agricultural Policy has clauses on organic agriculture and chapter on organic included in current draft revision.

Source:DODJDDQG7D\ORUHWDO*UROLQN5XQGJUHQ%ROZLJHWDO:LOOHUDQG<XVVH¿

International Trade Centre (UNCTAD/WTO), 2007; Draft Report of the East African Organic Conference, May 2007, available

on the UNEP-UNCTAD CBTF website at www.unep-unctad.org/cbtf.

35  $OWLHUL27$:\QHQDQG9LQFHWWL

SECTION 2 EVIDENCE FROM AFRICA

,QFUHDVLQJIRRGVHFXULW\ZLWKRUJDQLFDJULFXOWXUH

The food security of any region is not simply a question of producing enough food to meet GHPDQGLWLVDOVRLQÀXHQFHGE\DPXOWLWXGHRIIDFWRUVERWKQDWXUDODQGFDXVHGE\KXPDQVVHHER[ ,QFUHDVHGIRRGVXSSO\GRHVQRWDXWRPDWLFDOO\PHDQLQFUHDVHGIRRGVHFXULW\IRUDOO:KDWLVimportant is who produces the food, who has access to the technology and knowledge to produce LWDQGZKRKDVWKHSXUFKDVLQJSRZHUWRDFTXLUHLW

$JULFXOWXUHE\LWVLQKHUHQWPXOWLIXQFWLRQDOLW\KDVWKHSRWHQWLDOWRERWKLQÀXHQFHDQGDGGUHVVWKHIDFWRUVWKDWFRQWULEXWHWRIRRGLQVHFXULW\RXWOLQHGLQER[LQWKHSUHYLRXVVHFWLRQ $VGLVFXVVHGbelow, organic agriculture can improve the availability of food, particularly for those who are WKH PRVW IRRG LQVHFXUH 2UJDQLF DJULFXOWXUH UHOLHV RQ ¿YH FDSLWDO DVVHWV IRU VXFFHVV QDWXUDOVRFLDO KXPDQ SK\VLFDO DQG ¿QDQFLDO FDSLWDO  ,W FRQWULEXWHV WR DQG EXLOGV XS VWRFNV RI WKHVHnatural, social and economic resources over time36WKXVLPSURYLQJIRRGVHFXULW\LQDORQJWHUPVXVWDLQDEOHPDQQHU

2.1.1 Improvements in availability of food

In the more intensive, industrialized agricultural systems the productivity of organic agriculture WHQGVWRYDU\WKURXJKWKHGLIIHUHQWVWDJHVRIWUDQVLWLRQL LQFRQYHUVLRQIURPWUDGLWLRQDOWRRUJDQLFmanagement; (ii) organic management based on input substitution, and (iii) complete shift to a V\VWHPVDSSURDFK37

Particularly in these more industrialized farming systems, after switching from synthetic inputs to RUJDQLFV\VWHPVIDUPHUVXVXDOO\H[SHULHQFHDQLQLWLDOGHFOLQHLQ\LHOGV$IWHUWKHDJURHFRV\VWHPLVUHVWRUHGDQGRUJDQLFPDQDJHPHQWV\VWHPVDUHIXOO\LPSOHPHQWHG\LHOGVLQFUHDVHVLJQL¿FDQWO\7KHLVVXHRIDVVHWDFFXPXODWLRQRYHUWLPHLVDOVRLPSRUWDQW,IDJULFXOWXUDOV\VWHPVDUHORZLQnatural, social and human assets – either intrinsically low, or have become damaged by degradation – then a sudden switch to organic practices that rely on these very assets will not be immediately VXFFHVVIXODQGPD\WDNHWLPHWRUHDFKLWVIXOOSRWHQWLDO+RZHYHUWKHVHSHULRGVRIORZHU\LHOGVVHHPWREHPRUHDSSDUHQWGXULQJFRQYHUVLRQVRILQGXVWULDOL]HGDJULFXOWXUDOV\VWHPV38

In developing countries, evidence from research and from this study shows that agricultural yields

in organic systems do not fall, and at least remain stable when converting from systems that use UHODWLYHO\ORZDPRXQWVRIV\QWKHWLFLQSXWVPDQ\RIZKLFKZHUHE\SDVVHGE\WKHHDUOLHU³JUHHQUHYROXWLRQ´ VXFKDVWKRVHIUHTXHQWO\IRXQGLQ$IULFD2YHUWLPH\LHOGVLQFUHDVHDVFDSLWDODVVHWV

in systems improve, thus outperforming those in traditional systems and matching those in more FRQYHQWLRQDOLQSXWLQWHQVLYHV\VWHPV

Organic farming can lead to increased food production – in many cases a doubling of yields has been seen – which makes an important contribution to increasing the food security in a UHJLRQ7KHFDVHVVWXGLHVRXWOLQHGLQWKLVUHSRUWVXSSRUWWKHJURZLQJERG\RIHYLGHQFHWKDW\LHOGincreases are possible and indeed likely, with a switch to organic farming in a variety of different FRQWH[WVSDUWLFXODUO\LQPDUJLQDOL]HGDUHDVRUZKHUHWUDGLWLRQDOIDUPLQJPHWKRGVDUHXVHG)RRGDYDLODELOLW\LQFUHDVHGLQRXWRIFDVHVFHQWUHGRQIRRGSURGXFWLRQH[DPLQHGLQWKLVVWXG\Others, such as Gibbon and Bolwig (2007), have also found that organic conversion in tropical

FRQVXPSWLRQ ZLWK RQO\ D VPDOO SURSRUWLRQ IRU VDOH 2UJDQLF IDUPLQJ WHFKQLTXHV DUH WKHUHIRUHwidely recognized as increasing food security in this context, particularly in rain fed agricultural V\VWHPV39

2UJDQLF IDUPLQJ LQFUHDVHV DFFHVV WR IRRG RQ VHYHUDO OHYHOV )LUVW LQFUHDVHG TXDQWLW\ RI IRRGproduced per farm leads to household food security which results in all members of the household KDYLQJ DFFHVV WR HQRXJK IRRG 6HFRQG WKH SURGXFWLRQ DQG VHOOLQJ RI IRRG VXUSOXVHV DW ORFDOPDUNHWVPHDQVWKDWIDUPHUVEHQH¿WIURPKLJKHULQFRPHVZKLFKLQFUHDVHVWKHLUSXUFKDVLQJSRZHU7KLUGIUHVKRUJDQLFSURGXFHEHFRPHVDYDLODEOHWRPRUHSHRSOHLQWKHZLGHUFRPPXQLW\)LQDOO\organic farming enables new and different groups in a community to get involved in agricultural SURGXFWLRQDQGWUDGHZKHUHSUHYLRXVO\WKH\ZHUHH[FOXGHGIRU¿QDQFLDORUFXOWXUDOUHDVRQVWith the increased number and variety of crops grown and livestock reared in organic production, WKHIDUPLQJV\VWHPLVLQWHJUDWHGDQGPRUHUHVLOLHQWWRVWUHVV)DUPHUVLQ(DVW$IULFDDUHDZDUHRIWKHULVNVRIPRQRFURSSLQJDQGVRWKHVHFXULW\RIIHUHGE\LQWHJUDWHGRUJDQLFIDUPLQJLVZHOFRPHGFarming families have more available food leading to household food security for more months RI WKH \HDU 0RUHRYHU VXUSOXV SURGXFH FDQ EH VROG WR FUHDWH DGGLWLRQDO LQFRPH IRU IDPLOLHVMaintaining a wide variety of crops and livestock not only provides food security throughout the

year but also leads to increased nutritionalVHFXULW\IRUIDUPHUKRXVHKROGV

2.1.2 Improvements to natural capital

Organic farming leads to many improvements to the natural environment, including increased

water retention in soils, improvements in the water table (with more drinking water in the dry season), reduced soil erosion combined with improved organic matter in soils, leading to better FDUERQVHTXHVWUDWLRQDQGLQFUHDVHGDJURELRGLYHUVLW\LQFOXGLQJLQVLWXSUHVHUYDWLRQRIWUDGLWLRQDOODQGUDFHVZKLFKDUHFXUUHQWO\EHLQJORVWDWDODUPLQJUDWHV 2WKHUHQYLURQPHQWDOEHQH¿WVRIRUJDQLFIDUPLQJLQFOXGHOHVVSROOXWLRQQRJHQHWLFFRQWDPLQDWLRQDQGUHGXFHGHQHUJ\FRQVXPSWLRQ40Water conservation technologies associated with an integrated organic farming system can make DKXJHGLIIHUHQFHLQDUHDVZKHUHZDWHUUHVRXUFHVDUHVFDUFH,QFUHDVLQJWKHZDWHUKROGLQJFDSDFLW\RIWKHVRLOHQDEOHVIRRGWREHJURZQIXUWKHULQWRWKHGU\VHDVRQWKXVLQFUHDVLQJIRRGVHFXULW\Related improvements in the water table also result in more available water for consumption and IRUZDWHULQJOLYHVWRFN

2UJDQLFIDUPLQJLPSURYHVDQGQXUWXUHVWKHODQG¶VWRSVRLOZKLFKLVZLGHO\UHFRJQL]HGDVEHLQJRQHRIWKHPRVWLPSRUWDQWUHVRXUFHVIRUWKHIDUPHU2UJDQLFIDUPHUVLQFUHDVHWKHRUJDQLFPDWWHUand nutrient capacity of the soil by growing leguminous crops and adding compost, animal dung RU JUHHQ PDQXUHV$GGLQJ HOHPHQWV RI DJURIRUHVWU\ FKHFN GDPV DQG WHUUDFLQJ DPRQJVW RWKHUPHWKRGV DOVRVWDELOL]HVWKHVRLODQGWKXVUHGXFHVVRLOHURVLRQ$VDUHVXOWVRLOVDUHKHDOWKLHUDUHbetter able to hold water and are more stable, can sustain plant growth better and have a higher QXWULHQWFRQWHQW$OOWKLVHQDEOHVIDUPHUVWRJURZFURSVIRUORQJHUSHULRGVZLWKKLJKHU\LHOGVDQGLQPDUJLQDOFRQGLWLRQV7KLVRIFRXUVHFDQPDNHDPDMRULPSDFWRQUHGXFLQJWKHIRRGLQVHFXULW\RIDUHJLRQ

In terms of the conservation of existing natural capital, including sites rich in biodiversity and VR FDOOHG ³SULPH´ HFRV\VWHPV RUJDQLF DJULFXOWXUH DFWLYHO\ SURPRWHV D SURWHFWLYH DSSURDFK ,Qthe East African Organic Products Standard (EAOPS) 2007,41SRLQWSODLQO\SURKLELWVWKHFOHDULQJRISULPDU\HFRV\VWHPVIRUHVWVDQGZHWODQGVIRUH[DPSOH IRURUJDQLFSURGXFWLRQ,Q WHUPV RI DJURELRGLYHUVLW\ ZKHUH FRQYHQWLRQDO SURGXFWLRQV V\VWHPV KDYH HQFRXUDJHGmonocropping (for cashews in Tanzania or tea in Kenya for example) then the organic systems FRXOG DOVR VRPHWLPHV UHVHPEOH PRQRFURSV 6LPSO\ VXEVWLWXWLQJ WKH V\QWKHWLF SHVWLFLGHV DQG

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IHUWLOL]HUVIRUSXUFKDVHGELRSHVWLFLGHVDQGRUJDQLFIHUWLOL]HUVDOORZHGXQGHURUJDQLFFHUWL¿FDWLRQFDQVWLOOOHDYHWKHDJULFXOWXUDOV\VWHPODUJHO\XQFKDQJHG0RQRFURSSLQJIDUPLQJV\VWHPVIRUWKHexport market, whether conventional or organic, still leave farmers vulnerable to export price ÀXFWXDWLRQV DQG FURS IDLOXUH +RZHYHU DFURVV WKH PDMRULW\ RI WKH H[SRUW PDUNHW IRU RUJDQLFSURGXFHLQ$IULFDWKHUHLVLQUHDOLW\OLWWOHPRQRFURSSLQJ422UJDQLFIDUPVDUHJHQHUDOO\PRUHDJURELRGLYHUVHWKDQWKHLUFRQYHQWLRQDOFRXQWHUSDUWV7KH($236LQFOXGHVSURYLVLRQVWRHQFRXUDJHWKLV:KHUH RUJDQLF IDUPLQJ SULQFLSOHV DUH DGRSWHG DV D KROLVWLF DSSURDFK IRU WKH ZKROH RI DQintegrated agricultural system, increased food security in a region is more likely to occur, at the VDPHWLPHDVQDWXUDOKXPDQDQGVRFLDOUHVRXUFHVDUHEXLOWXS

2.1.3 Improvements to social capital

Organic agriculture leads to improvements to social capital, including more and stronger social organizations at local level, new rules and norms for managing collective natural resources, and EHWWHUFRQQHFWHGQHVVWRH[WHUQDOSROLF\LQVWLWXWLRQV

0DQ\RUJDQLFDQGQHDURUJDQLFSUDFWLFHVLQKHUHQWO\IRFXVRQVRFLDODQGSDUWLFLSDWRU\SURFHVVHVWKDW OHDG WR LQFUHDVHG VRFLDO FDSLWDO 3HRSOH¶V FDSDFLW\ WR ZRUN WRJHWKHU RQ FRPPRQ UHVRXUFHPDQDJHPHQWSUREOHPVLVLPSURYHG7KH\PD\IRUH[DPSOHIRUPJURXSVIRUMRLQWPDQDJHPHQWRISHVWVLUULJDWLRQZDWHUVKHGIRUHVWDQGFUHGLW)RUPDWLRQRIZRUNLQJJURXSVEHQH¿WVIDUPLQJhouseholds where labour shortages occur, for example when people are ill, suffering from HIV/

$,'6 RU LQ WLPHV RI KDUGVKLS7KH FUHDWLRQ RI FRRSHUDWLYHV DQG PDUNHWLQJ JURXSV DOVR KHOSVIDUPHUVL VKDUHNQRZOHGJHDQGJRRGSUDFWLFHVLL VKDUHWKHFRVWVRIRUJDQLFFHUWL¿FDWLRQDQG(iii) meet the demands for large quantities of organic produce required at one time by some export FRPSDQLHV

Strong networks and links with partners from government, NGOs and organic support organizations such as KOAN, TOAM, NOGAMU and EPOPA are helping farmers to organize IRURUJDQLFFHUWL¿FDWLRQDFFHVVH[SRUWDQGGRPHVWLFRUJDQLFPDUNHWVDQGJDLQJUHDWHUNQRZOHGJHRIVXVWDLQDEOHRUJDQLFWHFKQLTXHVFURSVDQGPDUNHWV

2.1.4 Improvements to human capital

2UJDQLFIDUPLQJOHDGVWRLPSURYHPHQWVWRKXPDQFDSLWDO7KLVLQFOXGHVLQFUHDVHGNQRZOHGJHDQGskills; improved capacity of farmers to experiment and solve their own problems; improvements LQKHDOWKVXFKDVUHGXFHGLQFLGHQFHRIPDODULDLQULFH¿VK]RQHVLQFUHDVHGVHOIHVWHHPLQIRUPHUO\marginalized groups; increased status of women; better child health and nutrition, especially in GU\VHDVRQVDQGUHYHUVHGPLJUDWLRQDQGPRUHORFDOHPSOR\PHQW

2UJDQLFIDUPLQJFDQUHVXOWLQLQFUHDVHVLQHGXFDWLRQDQGNQRZOHGJHRQVHYHUDOOHYHOV2UJDQLFDJULFXOWXUH JLYHV LQFHQWLYHV WR SUHVHUYH DQG EXLOG XSRQ IDUPHUV¶ WUDGLWLRQDO DQG LQGLJHQRXVNQRZOHGJHRIDJULFXOWXUHDQGORFDOHFRV\VWHPV8VLQJRUJDQLFWHFKQLTXHVDQGSULQFLSOHVIXUWKHUincreases the knowledge and skills of farmers, including their analytical skills and capacities to LQQRYDWHDQGFRQWUROWKHLURZQIDUPV\VWHPV7KHDELOLW\WRPDQDJHPRUHFRPSOH[V\VWHPVIRUH[DPSOHWRIDUPIRUEHQH¿FLDOLQVHFWV UHTXLUHVDKLJKHUOHYHORIKXPDQNQRZOHGJHDQGVNLOOVWKDQLVQHHGHGWRVSUD\DSHVWLFLGH7KLVLQFUHDVHGNQRZOHGJHRIQDWXUDOSHVWDQGSUHGDWRUUHODWLRQVKLSVLQFUHDVHVIDUPHUV¶UHVLOLHQFHDQGFDSDFLW\WRLPSOHPHQWFKDQJHVLQWLPHVRISHVWLQIHVWDWLRQ

,QDGGLWLRQRUJDQLFIDUPLQJKDVDQRWKHUNQRFNRQHIIHFWIRULPSDFWLQJRQHGXFDWLRQ7KHFDSDFLW\for organic systems to increase the amount of food produced per household means that families can VHOOVXUSOXVHVZKHQWKH\DUHIRRGVHFXUHRIWHQDWSUHPLXPSULFHV7KHDGGLWLRQDOLQFRPHJHQHUDWHGLVDYDLODEOHIRUSD\LQJVFKRROIHHVWKXVLQFUHDVLQJWKHHGXFDWLRQRIWKHZLGHUFRPPXQLW\

$WUDQVLWLRQWRRUJDQLFIDUPLQJFDQJUHDWO\EHQH¿WWKHKHDOWKRIIDUPHUKRXVHKROGVDQGWKHZLGHUFRPPXQLW\$QLQWHJUDWHGRUJDQLFIDUPLQJV\VWHPOHDGVWRLQFUHDVHVLQSURGXFWLRQDQGWKHYDULHW\

42 5XQGJUHQ

of crops grown or animals kept which positively increase the health and nutritional status of IDUPHUKRXVHKROGV7KHDYDLODELOLW\RIVXUSOXVHVDOVRFUHDWHVEHWWHUDFFHVVWRIRRGIRUQRQIDUPLQJKRXVHKROGVDQGVRSRVLWLYHO\DIIHFWVWKHKHDOWKRIWKHFRPPXQLW\6HOOLQJH[FHVVIRRGDQGJDLQLQJthe premium prices for organic produce means that additional income is also available for medical H[SHQVHVOHDGLQJWREHWWHUKHDOWKSDUWLFXODUO\IRUFKLOGUHQ

Farmer and farm family health is also improved with organic farming through the cessation of VSUD\LQJZLWKV\QWKHWLFSHVWLFLGHV5LVNVRILOOQHVVDQGGHDWKDVVRFLDWHGZLWKLQDSSURSULDWHXVHRYHUXVHRUPLVXVHRISHVWLFLGHVDUHFRPSOHWHO\UHPRYHGZLWKDVZLWFKWRRUJDQLFIDUPLQJ

Undernourished people infected with HIV/AIDS develop the full symptoms of the disease more TXLFNO\WKDQSHRSOHZKRDUHZHOOIHG43 The increased nutritional value from the greater variety of produce grown, together with the higher quality of organic produce leads to improvements in the KHDOWKRIWKRVHVXIIHULQJIURP+,9$,'6,QVXE6DKDUDQ$IULFDPLOOLRQFKLOGUHQKDYHEHHQorphaned by HIV/AIDS so extending the life of a farming parent by several years could mean the GLIIHUHQFHEHWZHHQOLIHDQGGHDWKIRUWKHFKLOGUHQOHIWEHKLQG44

2.1.5 Improvements to physical capital

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This study examines the relationship between organic agriculture and food security in Africa, particularly... Rundgren, Grolink, Sweden;

Hervé Bouagnimbeck, International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM); and

Participants in the CBTF East African Organic Agriculture Initiative... of an integrated agricultural system, ? ?organic? ?? can be synonymous with “sustainable”, and increased food security in a region is more likely to occur, while also building up natural, human and